Publicizing

Publicity helps drive attendance and create greater awareness of both the quality of your programs and UT Dallas. Think about publicity at the start of your planning. The Office of Communications serves the University community with a full range of marketing and public relations services.

Contact the Office of Communications

Call x2155 to discuss publicity options. Ideally, call eight weeks in advance of your event — earlier is great, and better late than not at all, but please understand your event will gain by having time on its side. Short notice limits your options.

Brand your event to UT Dallas

Trade Booth Example

Media Backdrop Example

Use a media or trade booth backdrop and/or a podium sign. They can be reserved by sending an email request specifying how long you will need signage. To request a media backdrop and/or podium sign, email [email protected]; for a trade booth backdrop, email [email protected]. In requesting a specific time frame, please account for set-up and tear-down. The setup cost is either $100 or $200 (the higher fee is for requests with less than 24 hours notice). Please give at least 48 hours’ notice.

Other Tips

If you are inviting the general public to your event, think broadly about the potential audience: local schools, retirement communities, professional groups, alumni, etc.

Communications managers can help you determine the news value of your event. Will you be featuring a headline making speaker? Will your event be the occasion to announce a major public policy or scientific discovery? Can you use your event to make the news?

Follow the Brand Standards for all communications. Briefly stated: use the University logo on all materials, in color or black and white. Spell out the full name of the University on first reference (The University of Texas at Dallas) and shorten to UT Dallas on second reference.

Please do not send e-mail spam to advertise your event. Use the Comet Calendar and submit information to News Center. Your News Center feature will achieve greater visibility with longer staying power than a campus-wide e-mail. Your content will have a home on the News Center website that makes it findable with a Google search. This is particularly helpful for staff at information desks and switchboards who receive inquiries about an event. Depending on the nature of the event relative to other current events, News Center may highlight it the week of the event on the University’s homepage.

Consider whether you need a photographer for all or part of the event. The Office of Communications can assist you with finding a photographer. Your budget will need to cover photos unless the material potentially generated fills other institutional communication needs.

Think about ways to record your event for other uses. Use photographs on your web site or for fundraising or student recruitment publications. You may want to arrange to videotape an important speech and stream the video to your web site for viewers who could not attend. Again, plan for this when you budget.